As much as we all love the Orioles here in Baltimore, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to write about them, particularly during this recent team-wide offensive slump.

After all, there are only so many adjectives for describing the same disappointing play we’ve seen over the last two weeks—not to mention the last 12 years.

In an effort to have some fun,—something lacking in Orioles games lately—I’ve created an Orioles blog template for you to write your own game recaps. It works just like the old Mad Libs you used to play with your friends. I’ll give you some key word choices to make before putting them in the rest of the article.

And remember, no cheating!

Here it goes:

1. A ranking (i.e. second, third) ______________
2. Day of the week ______________
3. MLB team other than the Orioles, or make up another like “Sister Catherine’s School for the Blind” ______________
4. A random baseball score (i.e. 7-1) ______________
5. Adjective for bad ______________
6. Another score smaller than your first choice ______________
7. Choose Luke Scott or Nolan Reimold ______________
8. A current Orioles starting pitcher ______________
9. Adjective for bad ______________
10. A current Orioles non-pitcher ______________
11. A number greater than five ______________
12. Another current Orioles non-pitcher ______________
13. A baserunning mistake (i.e. getting picked off) ______________
14. Adjective for bad ______________
15. A number greater than 500 but less than 20,000 ______________
16. Adjective for bad ______________
17. Another current Orioles player ______________
18. Another current Orioles starting pitcher ______________

******

The Orioles lost their 1.___________ game in a row 2. ___________, falling to the 3. ___________ by a score of 4. ___________. The 5. ___________ loss is just another in a long line of struggles over the last 12 years.

Despite jumping out to an early 6. ___________ on a home run by 7. ___________, starting pitcher 8. ___________ was knocked out of the game early, leaving the 9. ___________ offense an insurmountable deficit.

Manager Dave Trembley’s inexplicable omission of 10. ___________ from the lineup certainly didn’t help the offense’s cause. The Orioles left 11. ___________ men on base, failing to capitalize on several key opportunities. One of those chances came in the sixth inning, but 12. ___________ ran the Orioles out of a potential big inning by 13. ___________.

Fans are clearly frustrated with the team’s 14. ___________ play, as an announced attendance of 15. ___________ was much smaller in terms of actual bodies in seats. Attendance is down 19 percent from last season, a reflection of the current economic state and the Orioles’ 16. ___________ play over the last 12 seasons.

The organization hopes 17. ___________ bobblehead night will attract more paying customers to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, but it only figures to be a temporary reprieve.

Trembley will send 18. ___________ to the mound tomorrow, hoping to reverse the club’s recent misfortunes.